Vitamin D and Omega-3 supplements help the elderly avoid Covid-19 infection

Shafaq news/ (Daily Mail) Taking regular vitamin D or Omega-3 supplements bolsters pensioners' immune systems, helping them to fend off infections including Covid-19, a study has found.

Both the supplements are essential for good overall health and found in oily fish.

A study of more than 2,000 pensioners revealed the pills reduce the risk of catching infections but have no impact on bone health, memory and muscle function.

The findings add to a growing stack of studies, which find high vitamin D levels stave off Covid-19 and improve people's chances of survival if they are infected.

Last month, Matt Hancock urged people to take vitamin D to help boost their overall health and said the Government would be ramping up public health messaging to encourage uptake of the supplement.

This marked yet another U-turn for the beleaguered Health Secretary after previously claiming it had no impact on Covid-19, much to the chagrin and disbelief of experts.

Professor Heike Bischoff-Ferrari from Zurich University in Switzerland, who led the latest study, said: 'Our findings suggest supplementation of vitamin D and omega-3s in adults aged 70 or older who lead an active lifestyle and have no pre-existing conditions does not provide any benefits when it comes to bone health, memory and muscle function.

'However، we believe there is an effect on infections -such as Covid-19.' 

An analysis of 2,157 healthy men and women aged 70 and older found omega-3 users were 11 per cent less likely to suffer infections.

The study took place between 2012 and 2014, long before the coronavirus pandemic exploded in November 2019. 

While the findings therefore do not provide direct proof the supplements can protect the elderly against coronavirus, they are applicable, the experts say.